Projector, target and target blocking apparatus

ABSTRACT

A skill type target game which includes two opposing launching areas each having target means alongside a selectively operable launching device for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area. A movable blocking panel is operatively associated with each of the targets to effectively block the propelling of objects from the adjacent launching device in response to the respective target being struck by one of the objects propelled from the opposite launching device. The launching devices are formed in the shape of cowboys holding guns to simulate a Western &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;shoot-out.&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; Clips are provided for the guns to hold a plurality of spherical projectiles. The target areas have floors inclined downwardly to a storage compartment for propelled projectiles, the storage compartment having movable door means for delivering projectiles from the compartment to the clips automatically as the clips are interengaged with the compartment.

[4 1 Feb. 25, 1975 1 PROJECTOR, TARGET AND TARGET BLOCKING APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Marvin 1. Glass, Chicago; Robert S.

McKay, Morton Grove, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 412,583

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 230,585, March 1, 1972, Pat.

273/102.l C, 127 R, 127 D, 121 R, 122 R, 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,561,733 7/1951 Foyst 273/102.1 R 2,957,693 10/1960 Ross 273/1 E 3,059,930 10/1962 Ryan 273/1 R 3,495,828 2/1970 Kymla 273/101 3,731,932 5/1973 Breslow 273/1021 C Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm -Coffee & Sweeney [57] ABSTRACT A skill type target game which includes two opposing launching areas each having target means alongside a selectively operable launching device for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area. A movable blocking panel is operatively associated with each of the targets to effectively blockthe propelling of objects from the adjacent launching device in response to the respective target being struck by one of the objects propelled from the opposite launching device. The launching devices are formed in the shape of cowboys holding guns to simulate a Western shoot-out. Clips are provided for the guns to hold a plurality of spherical projectiles. The target areas have floors inclined downwardly to a storage compartment for propelled projectiles, the storage compartment having movable door means for delivering projectiles from the compartment to the clips automatically as the clips are interengaged with the compartment.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PROJECTOR, TARGET AND TARGET BLOCKING APPARATUS This is a division of application Ser. No. 230,585, and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,052 filed Mar. 1, 1972.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a skilltype game designed for the entertainment of the player and for developing dexterity, timing, and coordination for the individual player as well as competition between a plurality of players.

There are various entertaining games presently available which have projectiles of various sizes and shapes which are projected toward target areas. A plurality of receiving positions are provided for the projectiles, normally providing means for scoring the game. Still other games have projection which are propelled toward home or receiving positions randomly spaced and variably scored to provide an entertaining game. Most games of the latter type are played primarily on the principle of chance. Such games are provided for educational or competitive purposes, or solely as entertainment devices. The game of the present invention is a skill type game wherein the objects or projectiles are propelled by players of the game at another players target means in an attempt to be the first player to strike the opponents target means with a propelled obect.

A principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a new skill type game of the character described, particularly a target type game.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention an elongated base structure or stand is provided with a transparent top cover providing a generally hollow housing within which is mounted at each opposite end thereof a target means and a launching device for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite end of the housing. A spring-loaded panel is mounted on the base structure in front of each of the launching devices, the panels being held down in a horizontal cocked position by a latch means operatively associated with the respective target means at the same end of the housing. More particularly, the latch means is operatively associated with the respective target means in such a manner that the panel is released to effectively block the propelling of objects from adjacent launching device in response to the adjacent target means at the same end of the housing being struck by one of the objects propelled by a player from the other end of the housing.

The launching devices are formed in the shape of a gun having a handle and trigger portion exposed on the outside of the housing for grasping and manipulation by players of the game, with the barrel of the gun extending through the housing to the interior thereof. A simulated cowboy is mounted on the inner end of the gun barrel, with the cowbody holding a smaller gun which is a continuation of the barrel of the larger manipulatible gun.

The floor of the housing is inclined downwardly to a receiving and storage compartment for the return of propelled projectiles (preferably ball-like objects) thereto. Each of the gun-like launching devices has a clip for holding a plurality of projectiles and complementary interengaging means are provided on the clips and on the storage compartment for delivering projectiles from the compartment to a clip'automatically in response to engaging the complementary interengaging means thereon. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the clip and the compartment each have an aperture through which projectiles are delivered from the compartment to the clip and each has a sliding door springbiased toward closed position covering the aperture. Abutment means are provided both on the clip and on the compartment, the abutment means being oriented and aligned so as to engage the sliding doors of the clip and the compartment to open the doors simultaneously on sliding the clip into engagement against the compartment.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a skill type target game embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical-central section, on an enlarged scale, through the right-hand half of the device shown in FIG. 1, with the trigger and release mechanism of the gun in inoperative condition;

FIG. 3 is a broken-away section similar to the righthandend of FIG. 2 showing the trigger and release mechanism substantially at their releasing positions;

FIG. 4 is a broken-away perspective view of one of the targets and its associated means for releasing the blocking panels;

FIG. 5 is a partial horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1,

through the receiving and storage compartment for the propelled projectiles;

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, through the receiving and storage compartment for the propelled projectiles;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the clips for the gun type launching devices;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 88 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the rectangular mounting bracket for mounting the gun type launching devices to the end panels of the housing, the latter being shown broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the skill type target game of the present invention is shown in an exemplary embodiment to include a framework having a base structure or stand, generally designated 12, having legs 12a, and a rounded transparent cover portion 14 having flat vertical end walls 14a. The base structure 12 and the cover portion 14 cooperate to define a hollow housing within which is mounted the target means, blocking panels, etc., to be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Before going into details of construction of the launching devices, target means, etc., it can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the exemplary embodiment of the invention is centered around a Western shootout" theme, in that a pair of figures, generally designated 16, are provided within the housing simulating cowboys holding small guns 16a. The figures 16 are mounted onto the ends of barrel portions 18 of guntype launching devices, generally designated 20, with the small guns 16a actually comprising continuations of the barrel portions 18, as best seen in FIG. 2. Target means, generally 22, are mounted within the housing on each side of each of the cowboy figures 16. The target means 22 are operatively associated (by means to be described in greater detail hereinafter) with springloaded panels 24 which are shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. By means to be described hereinafter, the panels 24 are held downwardly in a normal horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1 and are released for movement toward a vertical position as shown in phantom in FIG. 2 in response to the target portion of either of the target means in the adjacent end of the housing being struck by a projectile propelled from the launching device at the opposite end of the housing.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4, the operating means between the target means 22 and blocking panels 24 now will be described. The target means 22 includes a target portion 26 which protrudes upwardly from behind a shield portion 28 which is fixed to the interior floor 30 of the base structure 12, as by screws or brads 32 (FIG. 2). The target portions 26 each are formed at the top of a lever arm 34 pivoted by a pin 36 to a bracket 38 fixed to the floor 30 of the base structure 12. The lower end of the levers 34 extend through apertures 40 in the floor 30 and each lever is connected by a crossbrace 42 to the lever of the other target means at the same end of the housing. As best seen in FIG. 2, a horizontally protruding lip 44 is formed integrally with each of the crossbraces 42 and are operatively associated with arm extensions 46 fixed rigidly to the blocking panels 24, as seen in FIG. 2. An elastic band 48 is received in an aperture 50 on the extension arm 46 and is wrapped around a hook member 52 fixed to the underside of the floor 30of the base structure 12.

In normal non-blocking condition, the blocking panels 24 are held downwardly in their horizontal positions shown in FIG. 1 (and in full lines in FIG. 2) by means of the end of the extension arm 46 being seated on top of the lip 44 along the inner edge of a notch 54 in the lip. Should a projectile strike the target portion 26 of either of the target means 22 at one end of the housing, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 2, the lever arm 34 will be forced in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 4) causing the lip 44 to pivot upwardly in direction of arrow C (FIG. 2). As the lip 44 pivots upwardly, the end of the extension arm 46 for the respective blocking panel 24 will clear the edge of the notch 54 and the elastic band 48 will pull the extension arm downwardly in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 2), causing the blocking panel 24 to pivot upwardly in the direction of arrow E to the vertical (phantom) position shown in FIG. 2. In its vertical position, the panel blocks the front of the barrel of the gun 16a to prevent projectiles from being propelled therefrom toward the opposite end of the housing. The blocking panels 24 may be cocked again either by pushing on the extension arms 46 in a direction opposite that of arrow D (FIG. 2) until the end of the arms latch on top of the lipportions 44 of the braces 42, or, should the transparent cover 14 be made removable, by pushing down on the blocking panels 24.

The gun type launching devices are best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 8 and, in addition to the barrel portion 18, include a handle portion 56, a trigger housing 58,

and a horizontally reciprocatably mounted trigger 60.

The trigger is mounted within the trigger housing 58 by tongue-and-groove means, generally designated 62, and has a rearward extension 64 having a laterally protruding shoulder abutment means 64a. The trigger is urged forwardly by means of a small wire spring 66 wrapped about a post 68. The trigger 60 is operatively associated with a release mechanism which includes a larger wire spring 70 wrapped about a post 72, with one leg of the wire spring abutting a post 74. The opposite end of the wire spring 70 extends through a slot 71 in 64 engages the wire spring 70 and urges the wire spring and attached barrel plunger rearwardly until a projectile falls downwardly from the clip 78 in front of the plunger 76. Continued movement of the trigger rearwardly in the direction of arrow F will cause the wire spring 70 to engage a wedge-shaped cam member 80 (see FIG. 8) mounted within the handle portion 56 of the gun. The wedge 80 forces the wire spring 70 laterally in the direction of arrow G (FIG. 8) and out from behind the trigger shoulder abutment 64a. The biasing force of spring 70 then causes the barrel plunger 76 to snap forwardly and propel a projectile from barrel 18 toward the opposite end of the housing. Release of the trigger 60 by the player permits the smaller wire spring 66 to return the trigger to its forward position, as shown in FIG. 2. The action of the mechanism just described,

in actual practice, proceeds with sufficient speed that only a single projectile is fed to the barrel portion 18 of the gun 20 in front of the barrel plunger 76 in response to each actuation of the trigger. When the barrel plunger 76 is in its forward position as shown in FIG. 2, it blocks further delivery of projectiles from the clip 78 into the barrel 18'.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, the clip 78 for holding a plurality of projectiles P includes a housing portion 84 and an interior tube or chute 84 which holds a plurality of projectiles. The tube 84 has an aperture 86 (FIG. 2) through which projectiles may be delivered from the clip. A slidably mounted door 88 is biased by a leaf spring 90 (FIG. 2) to a closed position normally covering the aperture 86. The clip 78 has outwardly protruding side flanges 92 (FIG. 7) which are received in complementary grooves 94 (FIG. 2) at the top rear of the gun 20. A pin 96 is formed on top rear of the barrel portion 18 of the gun between the grooves94 for engaging a complementary tab 98 (FIG. 7) on the slidable clip door 88. Thus, the clip can be mounted onto the top of the gun 20 by sliding movement between the grooves 94 in the direction of arrow H (FIG. 2). In so doing the pin 96 of the gun will abut the tab 98 on the slidably mounted clip door 88 and force the door rearwardly to open the aperture 86 to permit projectiles to be delivered from the clip into the gun barrel 18,

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the floor 30 of the base structure 12 is inclined downwardly from the target means 22 toward a ball return aperture 100 (FIG. I) so that the ball-like projectiles P, after being propelled by one of the guns 20, will roll down the inclined floor 30 and fall through the return aperture 100 into a channel-shaped chute 102 on the underside of the base structure 12. As seen in FIG. 6, the bottom wall 102a of the chute 102 is inclined downwardly toward a side aperture 104 which is normally closed by a slidably mounted door 106 biased to a closed position by means of the leaf spring 108, quite similarly to the action of the clip doors 88. As seen in FIG. 5, the door 106 has flanges 110 received in complementary slots 112 on an outer bracket portion, generally designated 114, of the chute 102. The bracket portion 114 also has grooves 116 for receiving the flanges 92 of the clip 78. The door 110 for the chute 102 has an outwardly protruding tab 118. The chute 102 also has an upper side wall portion 120 (FIGS. 1 and 6) having a second outwardly protruding tab 120 fixed thereto and laterally spaced from the tab 118 on the slidably mounted door 106. The clip 78 also has a second outwardly protruding tab 122 on a stationary wall portion 124 laterally spaced from the protruding tab portion 98 on the slidably mounted clip door 88.

Thus, with the above structure, in order to refill a clip 78 with a supply of projectiles P from the chute 102, the clip 78, in its vertical orientation as shown in FIG. 7, is slid downwardly into the chute bracket portion 114, with the clip flanges 92 received in the bracket grooves 116. Movement of the clip downwardly while being interengaged in the chute bracket 114, causes the fixed tab 122 on the clip to abut against the tab 118 on the movable chute door 106, and the fixed chute tab 121 to engage the tab 98 on the slidably movable clip door 88. Further downward movement of the clip 78 relative to the chute 102 causes the respectively engagable tabs to simultaneously open both the clip door 88 and the chute door 106 whereby a supply of projectiles P may be delivered from the chute 102 to the clip 78 through the apertures 104 and 86 of the chute and clip, respectively.

FIG. 9 shows a rectangular mounting bracket, generally designated 140, for mounting the gun-type launching devices to the end walls 140 of the housing cover portion 14. More particularly, at least a portion of the barrel 18 of the gun 20 is rectangularly shaped and extends through a rectangular aperture 142 in the center of the mounting bracket 140. The bracket 140 has a neck portion 134 which extends through an enlarged aperture 146 in the housing end walls 14a, with flange portions 138 of the bracket extending outwardly on each side of the walls 14a. With the neck portion 134 of the bracket 140 smaller than the end wall apertures 146, the guns 20 may be manipulated by players of the game for aiming purposes in their attempts to propel projectiles P at the target portions 26 of the pair of target means 22 at the opposite ends of the housing.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as certain modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A skill type game comprising: a framework having two opposing launching areas, target means at each of said opposing launching areas, selectively operable launching devices at each launching area for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area, and immobilizing means operatively associated with said target means to effectively block the propelling of objects from said launching devices in response to the respective target means in the same launching area being struck by one of said objects.

2. The skill type game of claim 1 wherein said launching devices each include means defining a gun from which said objects are selectively propelled.

3. The skill type game of claim 1 wherein said launching devices each include means simulating a cowboy holding a gun from which said objects are selectively propelled.

4. The skill type game of claim 3 wherein the guns held by said simulated cowboys each is formed at least in part by the outer end of the barrel portion of a larger gun hand-operated by players of the game.

5. The skill type game of claim 4 wherein said framework includes a generally hollow transparent housing portion within which said target means and said simulated cowboy are disposed and outside of which at least the handle and trigger portions of said larger gun are disposed.

6. The skill type game of claim 1 wherein said framework includes a generally hollow transparent housing portion within which said target means are disposed, with said launching devices extending through said housing with actuating portions disposed outside of the housing for manipulation by players of the game.

7. The skill type game of claim 1 including generally spherical ball-like projectiles for said launching devices and wherein said target areas have floor means inclined downwardly and along which said ball-like projectiles may roll to a receiving and storage compartment therefor.

two opposing launching areas, target means in each of said opposing launching areas, selectively operable launching devices at each launching area for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area, and panel means operatively associated with each target, means, said panel means being movable between a normally nonblocking position and a blocking position in front of the respective launching device to effectively block the propelling of objects from said respective launching device in response to the respective target means in the same launching area being struck by one of said objects.

9. The skill type game of claim 8 wherein said panel means is spring-loaded and held in cocked position by trip means operatively associated with the respective target means to release the panel means for movement to blocking position by spring means when the respective target means is struck by an object.

8. A skill type game comprising: a framework having 

1. A skill type game comprising: a framework having two opposing launching areas, target means at each of said opposing launching areas, selectively operable launching devices at each launching area for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area, and immobilizing means operatively associated with said target means to effectively block the propelling of objects from said launching devices in response to the respective target means in the same launching area being struck by one of said objects.
 2. The skill type game of claim 1 wherein said launching devices each include means defining a gun from which said objects are selectively propelled.
 3. The skill type game of claim 1 wherein said launching devices each include means simulating a cowboy holding a gun from which said objects are selectively propelled.
 4. The skill type game of claim 3 wherein the guns held by said simulated cowboys each is formed at least in part by the outer end of the barrel portion of a larger gun hand-operated by players of the game.
 5. The skill type game of claim 4 wherein said framework includes a generally hollow transparent housing portion within which said target means and said simulated cowboy are disposed and outside of which at least the handle and trigger portions of said larger gun are disposed.
 6. The skill type game of claim 1 wherein said framework includes a generalLy hollow transparent housing portion within which said target means are disposed, with said launching devices extending through said housing with actuating portions disposed outside of the housing for manipulation by players of the game.
 7. The skill type game of claim 1 including generally spherical ball-like projectiles for said launching devices and wherein said target areas have floor means inclined downwardly and along which said ball-like projectiles may roll to a receiving and storage compartment therefor.
 8. A skill type game comprising: a framework having two opposing launching areas, target means in each of said opposing launching areas, selectively operable launching devices at each launching area for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area, and panel means operatively associated with each target means, said panel means being movable between a normally nonblocking position and a blocking position in front of the respective launching device to effectively block the propelling of objects from said respective launching device in response to the respective target means in the same launching area being struck by one of said objects.
 9. The skill type game of claim 8 wherein said panel means is spring-loaded and held in cocked position by trip means operatively associated with the respective target means to release the panel means for movement to blocking position by spring means when the respective target means is struck by an object. 